The Handsome Sleeper
by BlueberryMuffins76
Summary: Join me a a journey of Thranduil's early life, starting with his childhood and working up towards the birth of Legolas. It is a story of both sadness and happiness, tragedy and joy.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I am greatly indebted to the writer of the article "The War of the Last Alliance" as I have been writing this story. It saved me from needing to study the Silmarillion myself. Thank you to the encyclopaedia contributors! Also, some drawings of Thranduil and young Legolas found through Pinterest and tagged from Deviantart and zerochan inspired portions of this story (if you would like the links for these drawings please let me know!). Another picture inspired me but I am not sure where it is located; the link through Pinterest is expired, so whoever you are thank you! As you read, please keep in mind that Meleth is Sindarin for love and Ada means Father. Also, I do not own any Tolkien characters or places. Yes, this story was inspired by Sleeping Beauty; Mirkwood turns out to be the perfect setting! So please read and enjoy; I welcome any comments!_

Long ago when Middle Earth was much younger than it is now, there lived an elf named Oropher and his lovely wife Bannostadeth. They had recently established a kingdom in the forest and became its rulers; later it would be known as Mirkwood. However, their fair realm was currently called Greenwood the Great. The Elvenking and Elvenqueen had been married for quite a while and had a very young son Thranduil, who adored his father. Also, he took after his father in looks; both males had gorgeous flaxen hair and deep blue eyes. Bannostadeth was also blonde, only hers had a more honey colour to it and her eyes were dark green rather than blue.

Thranduil enjoyed following his father around and as he grew older they were able to go on short trips together, sometimes to hunt and other times simply to enjoy the forest. They loved nature and the young elf learned most of what he knew about it from his Ada on these trips.

One day, just a few years before his coming of age ceremony, Thranduil went on such a journey with Oropher. They travelled deep into the trees until they came upon the Enchanted River. The king had been working on a path from one side of the forest to the other and had recently passed this dreaded body of water. One of the elves slipped into the water to see what it was like but had to quickly be rescued – he had fallen into a deep sleep. It took a long time for him to fully recover from the incident and at times he was still prone to extreme sleepiness. Thus the elves learned to be extremely careful with the water.

Thranduil had been learning the art of sword-fighting and was anxious to show his father his latest moves. A large tree lay across the river for easier access to the other side until the path was finished, so he jumped up on it. He wanted to try some daring moves on a precipice; one never knows when this might come in handy! Oropher was enjoying watching his son simply being a boy, still young and naïve. Thranduil lunged and dodged as he fought his imaginary opponent. Then the unfortunate happened: the prince lost his balance and went plunging into the Enchanted River! Oropher quickly threw a rope they kept handy and dragged his son out of the water, now fast asleep. He called for his guards and they hurried back to the palace; Oropher insisted on carrying his son himself. He thought he was to blame for allowing him to play like that so near the river and was extremely worried about what Bannostadeth would say. Although elves can travel quickly and even sleep while they are doing it, their journey back still took longer than a day.

Bannostadeth greeted them at the entrance when they finally arrived. "Oropher! You're back!" she cried excitedly, happy to have her husband and son back home. But then she noticed Thranduil, who lay very still in her husband's arms. "What happened?" she shrieked, becoming hysterical.

"I'm so sorry, Meleth. I let him play on the log we have across the Enchanted River, and he fell in. We need to get him to his room. He should be fine after a few days."

Bannostadeth was softly crying but hurried into the castle to make sure her precious son had everything he needed. They administered all the healing herbs they could, yet to no avail.

A week went by and the young prince had still not awakened. "Oropher, why has he not woken up yet? You said he should be fine in just a few days!"

"I did, didn't I? That is how it worked with my worker who fell in. I feel it must have a longer lasting effect on royalty. He may never wake up! I am so sorry! Our only son, and it is all my fault!" The king was a broken man, and his queen could tell he was aging rapidly from all this distress, although elves really do not age that much.

"I don't blame you, Meleth, and you should not blame yourself either. Thranduil was old enough to know that was a risky move and did it anyway, so he must now reap the consequences of his actions. And unfortunately we have to suffer right along with him. Why don't we both go and rest and try to forget about it for a time?" She looked lovingly into his eyes and kissed him gently, showing her love.

"That sounds like the prefect plan to me. It will do us both good."

So the royal couple went to their room arm in arm, determined to stay close to each other. Both had to be strong for the other, and they did this very well.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: The Handsome Sleeper Awakes!**

A hundred years passed by and Prince Thranduil still slept with his precious elf-cat, Ochadrion. (Elf-cats are much like regular cats, only they live hundreds of years; they are not immortal, as much as the elves wished they were.) The feline was extremely devoted to his master and rarely left his side, content to sleep most of the days away. The prince acquired the kitten a few years prior to his incident and consequently a close bond had formed between cat and elf. They enjoyed playing together; Bannostadeth made some mice out of cloth that her son would throw to Ochadrion, who would fetch it back to his master in his mouth. Sometimes they would chase each other around until an adult asked them to stop. They had wonderful times together.

Thranduil was now full-grown, a handsome man with flowing locks of gold. In fact, all the elves in Greenwood the Great thought he was the fairest elf in all the land, even more than King Oropher. A young elf-maid of the kitchens named Arabesque certainly thought this way! The charge of bringing broths to the prince and feeding him was granted to her, which meant she spent quite a bit of time with the handsome sleeper. From time to time she would brush the prince's hair from his face, revelling in its soft, luxurious locks and gazing upon the handsome features they framed. Arabesque was lovely herself, also having blonde hair and blue eyes, although not quite to the beauty standard of Lady Galadriel.

One day, Arabesque prepared to take the dirty dishes back to the kitchen when she noticed Thranduil's foot peeking out from under the blankets. She did not want him to catch any sort of chill, not knowing if that would be possible in this enchanted sleep, so she gently pulled the blankets back over his foot. Her fingers brushed him and she felt the urge to tickle him, too strong to resist. She was rewarded by a soft chuckle. When she looked at the prince, she noticed he was smiling but seemed less asleep than he had before. "Hhmm," she thought, "I wonder if tickling the prince will awaken him?"

Arabesque knew she had to try for the sake of her beloved rulers. The more she tickled, the more awake Thranduil became. Soon he was sitting up in bed, fully awake and laughing hysterically. She then stopped her treatment, giggling along with him yet at the same time trying to contain her excitement. "Prince Thranduil! You are awake at last! I shall fetch your parents right away!"

"Wait, don't leave! Who are you and what are you doing in my room, acting all excited that I am awake? Has something happened?"

Arabesque laughed. "I'm Arabesque. We have never formally met since I work for King Oropher in the kitchens. You fell into the Enchanted River a hundred years ago and have been asleep until just now. I was put in charge of making sure you got your nourishment during your convalescence."

"Oh my! Please come closer; I do not wish to be alone." She obliged and he took her hand, looking solemnly into her eyes. "Thank you so much for caring for me! And you found my cure! How can I ever repay you?"

"I was only doing my duty. Your father makes sure I have enough to eat and I have the loveliest room. I do not need anything else."

"Well, at any rate I would like to get to know you better."

At this point, the king and queen came bursting into the room. Someone had heard the laughter and sent for them.

"My son, my son! You are awake!" cried Oropher.  
>Bannostadeth asked Arabesque how it happened, so she explained everything.<p>

"Arabesque, you shall be greatly rewarded for this! Tell me, what should you like in the entire kingdom?" King Oropher was feeling very generous towards the one who awakened his only son.

"Oh no, your Highness! I do not need anything else; you have already provided me with so much! Besides, seeing the joy of a reunited family is the only reward I need," she replied, quite embarrassed at all the fuss over her. The cure was completely accidental and there was no need to repay her. Any of the elves in the whole land would have given their lives if only their prince would be saved by it.

"Nonsense! I'll tell you what; you shall be promoted to the status of a lady. I shall provide all the fancy clothes you need and anything else you might want. You will never need to work in the kitchens again. I know you play the flute but are unable to practice often due to your duties, so now you will have time for that and can play for us with the other musicians, if you wish."

Arabesque's eyes shone from sheer joy. "Thank you so much! Will I be allowed to attend the balls to dance as well as play?"

"Most certainly!" the king and queen replied together.

Thranduil piped up. "I'd love to dance with you at our next ball! Will you do me the honour of the first dance?"

Arabesque looked to the royal couple to seek their approval. Bannostadeth nodded in agreement. "I would be honoured, your Majesty!"

"Come now, at this point I see no more need of formality. Call me Thranduil."

"All right then, your – I mean Thranduil!" Arabesque found herself feeling suddenly shy around him. Some feelings yet unknown to her awakened inside her and she did not know what to do with them. Actually, she suspected the prince was experiencing similar feelings. However, she knew the family needed some time to reunite and she ought to study these emotions alone, so she excused herself. "I shall go and tell my family the good news, if you all will excuse me!"

"Go right ahead! We shall see you later!" All three royals replied at once, happy to be together again.

Arabesque fled the room quickly, hoping to escape the fantasies that threatened to plague her mind. Thranduil was even more enchanting awake, and she was scared of the emotional state jumbling her insides.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Party Plans**

Soon a royal party was being planned to celebrate both Thranduil's coming of age and his awakening. There would be feasting, dancing, and music all night; excitement was prominent throughout Greenwood the Great. There had not been much celebrating these last hundred years because everyone had been so worried about their beloved prince. Now, the merry-making could begin!

Arabesque and the other musicians busily prepared their music for the upcoming event. She enjoyed it immensely, finally able to do something she loved for the royal family. However, her dance steps needed some touch-up work; in her spare time she worked on that, hoping the prince would dance with her like he requested. She wondered what he could see in her; she was lovely, but then again so were all elves! She certainly had nothing on Lady Galadriel or Elrond's beautiful daughter Arwen and never considered herself overly beautiful. The young elf was not extremely gifted in any area and was simply a normal elf. Yet one deep look into Thranduil's blue eyes turned her insides to mush. It was so good to finally meet the one she'd been taking care of for so many years! She had long wondered what he was really like and felt she was about to find out, which thrilled and yet terrified her.

Arabesque was also glad she no longer needed to work in the kitchens. Imagining the rush to get all the delicious food prepared could give a girl nightmares. The other kitchen help were all nice, but the possibility that the head cook stressed out as the day approached was not pleasant; no one would want to be in her way. Besides, cooking was not on Arabesque's favourite pastime list. If she had to work with any plants, she would rather be using them for medicinal purposes. She had learned a bit more than other elves about healing herbs and was sometimes called upon in times of need, which was part of why she had been allowed to tend the prince rather than another male. However, Lord Elrond would always hold the unofficial title of Chief Healer, able to cure almost anything.

A few days later, the celebrating commenced. Many tables were laden with an extensive meal. The musicians were in a corner, playing away. Then King Oropher and Queen Bannostadeth arose and went to the dance floor, signalling to everyone that they could join them in dancing and making merry. The couple looked lovingly into each other's eyes as the danced, all their attention on each other. Thranduil smiled at his parents, glad they could forget about him and just have fun being together. He then looked around for Arabesque, finally locating her with the other musicians. Not wishing to disturb her in the middle of a song, he waited until that tune was over to ask her to dance.

"Arabesque, can you sit this song out to dance with me, please?" he inquired.

"I would love to! Excuse me, everyone, I shall return for the next round!"

With that, she was in his arms, relishing his strong yet tender grip. They whirled around the dance floor, simply taking each other in. Their steps matched perfectly, complementing the other's moves. When the tune was over, Thranduil reluctantly let Arabesque go.

"Can't you dance with me some more? You can go back to the musicians later."

"I'm sorry. I already promised I would go back when I was done with this dance. Some of the other musicians will come in about an hour. We try to trade back and forth so all of us can enjoy the festivities. Once they have come, you can have me for about an hour." She hated to refuse royalty like this, yet she knew the prince would understand protocol and not push her too hard.

"Alright then, I shall fetch you in an hour!" He returned her to the rest of her party and headed back towards his parents. After dancing with his ex-nursemaid he could not bring himself to ask anyone else. He thought she must be the best dancer in the entire realm of Greenwood the Great. The way her feet barely touched the floor sent happy chills down his spine, her movements gentle and beautiful, like flowers swaying in a soft, warm wind. She knew exactly which steps would fit with his, exacting them perfectly each time. Well, in reality she had a misstep every now and again like anyone, yet she had learned to cover up her mistakes so that no one noticed. Thranduil overlooked them because he was falling in love with Arabesque, even if he failed to realize it as of yet. As much as he and everyone else would like to think it, he was not a perfect dancer either and also made mistakes from time to time.

The party lasted all night, to the delight of everyone. Thranduil danced exclusively with Arabesque every other hour, the love in his heart growing deeper with each move they made. Although he greatly desired to sneak her outside and take her for a walk, he knew both of them would be missed and did not want to worry his parents any more than he already had. He was also unsure if she would even go with him, nor what he would do if he was alone with her. Like Arabesque, he held excitement and fear inside at the prospect of befriending, and likely loving, someone and thus held a hesitation about all the feelings buzzing within him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The Proposal**

_**Just so there is no confusion, Meleth is the elvish word for love, an endearment I use frequently in my writings.**_

Many centuries passed by and the kingdom soon became its normal self. Arabesque finally came of age several hundred years ago, and Thranduil prepared to ask to court her. True love is not something to toy around with; he had waited this long just to make sure there was no one else for whom he felt that special spark. However, within all the land he could not find anyone he wanted to be with except Arabesque. They had been able to get to know each other better through these years and became the best of friends, spending more time together each day. The king and queen approved of this relationship; they knew Arabesque was the perfect match for their beloved son and admired her greatly. She was kind and compassionate yet not totally weak-willed and submissive like some women. If Oropher and Bannostadeth were ever killed for some reason, they thought Thranduil and Arabesque would be even better rulers than they were. They knew their son loved her for who she was, not for her social status or anything else pertaining to the outside rather than inside, and Arabesque felt the same way about the prince. The Elvenking and Elvenqueen understood that true love is about the inner person, not the outer, and they were grateful their son had adopted this mindset.

One day, Prince Thranduil summoned Arabesque.

"Good day! Would you like to go for a walk with me outside of the castle?"

"Yes! I would love it!"

"I'm afraid we will have to sort of sneak out; as long as you are quiet and follow me we are unlikely to be caught."

Arabesque's eyes grew wide, and Thranduil held up his hands in defence. "Don't worry!" he assured her. "My parents have been informed of our 'secret' meeting and will not let us be disturbed as long as we can leave here without anyone noticing and return within a timely manner."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "I will be as quiet as a mouse!"

They made it out of the palace without being noticed. Once they were out of range of view, they were able to relax.

The couple strolled along hand in hand, enjoying the warm summer wind in their faces and simply being among the many trees and other plants. Some large squirrels barked at them from time to time, unhappy to have their territory invaded, but the couple only laughed and assured them they meant no harm.

Thranduil had a special spot in mind; the Forest River banks were gorgeous this time of year, and he knew a small waterfall stood nearby. There were some rocks at the edge of the water perfect for sitting on and many lovely flowers to pick. Once Arabesque saw it, she was enthralled.

"Thranduil!" she cried happily, hugging him gently. "How beautiful! Thank you so much for bringing me here!"

He hugged her back. "You are most welcome. This is my most favourite spot in the entire forest; you are the first person I have ever shared it with."

"Really? Why me?"

"Please sit before I answer that." His voice held a seriousness and huskiness that caused the maiden to wonder just what he was about today.

The prince laid his cloak on a nearby rock and motioned for her to sit, and she did. Then he kneeled before her, taking both her hands in his. "Arabesque, Meleth, I love you. I cannot imagine spending my life with anyone else. Please, will you marry me?"

"Yes! I love you too, Meleth." Thranduil gather her in his arms and they shared their very first kiss, tender and sweet, conveying the love they shared for each other.

Suddenly, a lovely circlet of fresh flowers appeared on Arabesque's head. The prince had hidden it especially for her. She looked up, touched her crown, and smiled at her new fiancé. "How beautiful! Thank you, Meleth! You are so thoughtful."

They kissed again, their lips meeting firmly and passionately, sealing the promise to be with each other forevermore. Then they sat and cuddled well into the night and enjoyed a moonlit stroll back to the palace.

The Elvenking and Elvenqueen held no worries about the couple; they trusted them and knew nothing improper would take place between them. Bannostadeth especially anticipated their return; she longed for a daughter and grandchildren, not to mention seeing the perfect young lady compliment her son and assist him the rest of their lives. She trusted Arabesque would cherish him always, and he her. These assumptions rang true, as we shall later see (although their marriage was not always perfect).

As can be expected, the king and queen greeted the couple upon their return.

"Ada, Naneth, we have some exciting news!"

"I know! You and Arabesque are engaged!" Bannostadeth could not contain her excitement. Before they could reply, she wrapped her soon to be daughter-in-law in a warm embrace. "Welcome to the family! I have longed for this day!"

Thranduil, slightly embarrassed, asked his mother to calm down. "Naneth, please! There is time enough for this later. Right now, how would you like to help us plan our wedding?"

Now the Elvenqueen positively glowed, almost more excited than the couple themselves. The Elvenking looked on in loving amusement, a bit reluctant to share his own joy.

The wedding plans went underway rather quickly and within a few weeks the day finally arrived.

Several maids attended Arabesque, helping her with her hair and forest green dress accented in silver. She had a thin tiara of silver flowers to match.

They were going to be married by the spot in which Thranduil had proposed, which looked beautiful in the moonlight as well daylight.

Thranduil was a sight to behold as Arabesque glided down the aisle towards him. His rich blue robes accentuated his gorgeous flaxen locks and deep, cornflower blue eyes. He caught her gaze, unable to tear himself away from his lovely bride.

Almost before they realized it, the vows were made and they were husband and wife at last. The whole wedding party headed back to the palace, where more celebrating was to happen, another happy night of treats, music, and dancing. About halfway through the festivities, Thranduil twirled his bride out of the room, and they ran towards his chambers as soon as they were out of sight, locking themselves in. The king and queen had expected this and made sure the newlyweds would not be disturbed.

As soon as they were safely inside, Arabesque turned to her new husband. "Are you sure this is what we should do? I feel guilty for leaving our guests all of a sudden!"

"Nonsense, Meleth. Ada and Naneth knew of these plans and everyone else will understand. It is all taken care of so there is no need to worry. We have all the time in the world to be congratulated. Tonight is about us," he gently replied, holding her close.

"Alright then, I will try to forget about it."

"I'm sure I can remedy that!" Thranduil kissed his new wife passionately, her lips responding to his. The couple delighted in each other the rest of the night, and sure enough, the new princess forgot her worries.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: War Breaks Out**

Two years later, war broke out. Later it became known as the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. These two groups gathered their forces together against the dark lord Sauron and his evil minions. However, the elves and men would soon become estranged when the war came to an end, not joining forces until the Battle of the Five Armies and the War of the Ring many centuries later. They lost their trust in each other, for whatever reason, and in the dwarves as well. Each group kept to itself and while they were not enemies per se, they certainly were not as friendly with each other as they could have been. Some peoples had more interactions than others, yet some might withhold help from those in need simply because of the deep tensions between them.

As the King, Oropher had to lead his armies into the fray. Queen Bannostadeth insisted on joining him and Prince Thranduil. She had always been a bit headstrong and was as good at fighting as any man, actually even better than some. The family fought side by side for four long years.

However, Arabesque remained in the halls of Greenwood the Great; as a lady, she refused to participate in war unless absolutely necessary. Although she missed her family, she knew they were doing what needed to be done. Besides, as the royal princess she was a necessity to the palace; they needed her leadership, as much as she hated being in such a position. Yet she loved Thranduil and realized that was where he needed her. Both of them thought she would likely be in the way on the battlefield, even if she could help heal the wounded. The prince hated to leave his wife for so long, yet she was not a fighter but rather a peace-keeper. They did not have any children thus far because they wanted to wait until they had been married a few years. Each of them had a little trouble adjusting to change and would not rush into anything too quickly. Then the war started, and they both knew a pregnancy was out of the question under the stress of battle. Arabesque was content to care for their growing family of elf-cats and serve her people as their beloved princess.

However, the family headed for a huge change four years into the war. The battles now fought outside of Mordor, literally on its doorstep, got down to the nitty-gritty. Since the land consisted of a rather flat area with marshes to the side, it provided no shelter for the warriors, thus they had to meet each other head-on. The royal trio fought bravely beside their people, and the elves and men came out victorious, yet not without great loss on all sides. That is why to this day the swamp is called the Dead Marshes; the bodies were tugged into the mud before they could be buried properly.

Oropher and Bannostadeth were among those lost that dreadful day. Despite being a brave and accomplished warrior, the Elvenqueen was no match for a large orc and his warg. She fought valiantly and mortally wounded both, yet she sustained too many injuries to survive. Her husband also lost his life defending and aiding her, so Thranduil became king, faithfully taking charge of his father's armies. He was furious that those devoted to Sauron had killed both his parents and was determined to have his vengeance against them. So many of his troupes had been killed, yet the fight continued. Actually, the entire war lasted about 12 years. It is said that this battle, later known as the Battle of Dagorlad, was the most pivotal in this war and paved the way to victory over Sauron and his evil minions.

From time to time a lull in the battles would ensue, giving time for each opposing army to recoup.

– One year later –

Thranduil had returned briefly to Mirkwood for some respite in between battles, as well as to gather some more of his troupes. Most of the fighting consisted of being on foot rather than horseback; the horses generally remained fresh and made it easier to travel the long distance between Mirkwood and Mordor. The elf ruler was finishing preparing to leave for war again when he went into the room he shared with his wife, Arabesque, so he could get some rest before going out at dawn. He found her in a heap on the bed, sobbing her eyes out. The Elvenqueen did not mean for him to see or hear her in her present state; she was rather embarrassed for the Elvenking to catch her like that. Closing the door, he rushed to her and threw his strong arms around her.

"What's wrong, Meleth? Are you ill?" he asked, tenderly kissing her head.

"Oh Thranduil!" she cried. "I don't want you to leave tomorrow. I am so worried that you will never return to me."

"Arabesque, you know as the king it is my duty to lead our men out to battle. They need me, since my father has been slain, and I must avenge his death."

"I know," she sighed. "But as this war has raged on these five years, you have grown more cold and distant. You used to be gentle, kind, and loving, yet now you have hardened yourself. You are so different than you were when we first wed, and these changes have taken place within the past year. I realize the death of your parents has taken its toll on you; however, you cannot let your grief rule your life. I miss you, the real you. I long for the tender kisses you once gave me, laying in your strong arms for long hours, just enjoying each other's company. I love you and don't want to lose you in any way!"

The Elvenking was a bit taken aback. "I suppose I have grown hard; war seems to do that. I feel inadequate because my Ada always ruled and led the battles, but when he was killed that duty passed on to me. You know I would rather keep peace with everyone. However, it sometimes seems the more I fight, the more prone to anger I am. Bitterness is raging inside me that my father died before his time, right beside my mother, as you have well deduced. I think I have distanced myself from you so I won't hurt you and burden you by all my sorrow and troubles. I'm sorry! I realize I miss you too." In fact, he was lost in his own little world of grief and fear. He never slept well any more, and when he did the memories of his parents flashed before him. It haunted him that so many elves died and he could do nothing to stop it.*

"I forgive you, Meleth. I think you have done a wonderful job leading! Now, will you please stay here with me tonight and forget about the war for a few hours? I believe it is what both of us need. I also must apologize. I know you do not have any extra time, yet I selfishly want you to spend some time with me when more important matters are at stake."

He lifted her chin and kissed her gently. "Arabesque, I forgive you too. Let us now relax and spend time with each other. Everything is practically ready; do not worry about taking up any of my time. I hope I never have so little time that I cannot spend even a minute with my wife." He found a comb and straightened his wife's hair, which had become rather mussed from crying. He then braided it, and she did the same for him. Even though their hair was beautiful, flaxen in colour, it was also fond of tangling at night; they had taken to braiding it, which helped tremendously. Then in the morning no one would know their secret fault of hard-to-tame hair.

Thranduil gathered Arabesque in his arms, kissing her again. They snuggled for a long time, then put on their nightgowns and climbed into bed, enjoying their embrace. Soon they slept peacefully, finally able to forget about the war. In fact, Thranduil found that for the first time since his parents' deaths, the flashbacks he experienced constantly had dulled, although he woke up a few times in the night.

At last, Thranduil fully awakened before dawn. Arabesque was still asleep and he hated to wake her, but he knew she would rather get up now than have him leave without telling her goodbye.

He gently shook her shoulder. "Wake up, my love," he murmured. "I must go soon."

She woke up, yawned, and stretched. "Must you go?"

"Meleth, we went over this before. You know I must lead our people so we shall triumph over Sauron. And I need you here to rule our people while I am away." They shared a sweet kiss. "Will you please fix my hair before I leave?"

Arabesque had taken to lovingly combing and putting up Thranduil's hair prior to a battle. It was a way for them to spend a few extra minutes together and something she enjoyed immensely.

"Of course I shall fix your hair! I know I am needed here too," she sighed. "But be careful! I shall be thinking of you until the day you return to me!"

They hugged and kissed again, each knowing this could very well be the last time they saw each other.

Arabesque and Thranduil had been married only two years before the War started, thus it was hard on both of them for him to be gone so much. They really had not had much time together in the five years the war had been going on. Thus the halls were extremely lonely; the vast majority of the men were fighting, along with some brave female warriors, so the whole place was overrun with the remaining women. Even though she enjoyed their company, female elves can be like human women; if they do not like each other they play with the other's emotions. In some ways this action is worse than physical abuse because words can harm for a lifetime, whereas most physical wounds will heal if given time.**

The other women did not realize the Elvenqueen's marriage suffered from being estranged from her Elvenking for such long periods; some ladies still harboured jealousy that he chose her. As the most handsome elf in all the land, he was consequently highly sought after until his marriage. The lady elves actually would not have cared if he was royalty or not, and his being first the prince and then the king made him all the more attractive throughout his lifetime. Yet they knew better than to try to break up the royal couple. Divorce is almost unheard of among elves, which is part of why some (like Thranduil) wait so long to marry: they want to ensure that they have found true love and that their marriage will last and be successful all their days. Although Arabesque could have a better marriage, she loved her husband and would not part from him until she had given him all the chances she could muster.

Fortunately for Arabesque, they had recently adopted and elf-kitten that they named Tango. He was an orange tabby and extremely affectionate. It gave her comfort to be able to care for this cat, who was very devoted to her even though he also obviously missed Thranduil. Ochadrion, his childhood cat companion, was aging and would not be around much longer; she could also care for him and ensure his last days were spent in comfort.

*** Poor Thranduil suffers from PTSD; thank you findemaxam48 for realizing that he probably had this psychological disorder!**

**** Yes ladies, I am a woman as well and confess I use psychological barbs to hurt others at times, even though I know I should not.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Another Sleeping Episode**

Two more years passed with few visits from King Thranduil to Mirkwood palace. Ochadrion passed away about a year ago and Arabesque missed him. He had overseen her courtship and was a constant presence in their lives from their first true meeting onward. It made things even harder to have him gone, even if she knew his heart always belonged more to her husband than her.

One day, the lovely queen decided enough was enough. She was going to join her husband and help tend the wounded. If the king was destined to die, she wanted to be at his side as soon as possible. The eagles were friendly with the elves and would sometimes do them favours in exchange for something, such as food. Thus Arabesque sent word to the eagles, inquiring about a ride to the Dead Marshes or thereabouts, because all the horses were at the battlegrounds. Within a few days, an eagle came and carried her away.

Her arrival on the battlefield made quite a stir. The eagle kindly alit near the hospital tents, and word rapidly got out to Thranduil, busy fighting, that his wife was there. He rushed over as soon as he could.

"Meleth! What are you doing here? I thought I told you quite plainly you needed to stay in Mirkwood and rule our people!" His exclamation came out much more harshly than he intended. Flashbacks from the War of the Last Alliance still burned within his innermost being. When he saw Arabesque standing there, so close to danger, his heart failed within him and all the memories of his parents came rushing back. He had personally seen them sparring side-by-side with their foes and been utterly helpless to save either parent from their deaths. Now with his beloved here he would only worry about her too.

"Thranduil, Meleth, I miss you so much! I could not stay away any longer. I promise I will not go out into the battlefield unless absolutely necessary. I have come to help minister to the wounded. You know I am not as skilled a healer as Lord Elrond, but I do have a bit better ability than most elves. I know you can use my services and I refuse to leave until this terrible war is over." The Elvenqueen dismissed her husband's less-than-desirable greeting, fully realizing that his love for her and horrible past caused him to act that way.

"If only Ada and Naneth could see you now!" he smiled. Then they embraced and kissed a long time. "I love you and admire your bravery, Meleth. I know you will not listen to me, so yes I shall give my permission for you to stay."

It turned out to be a good thing Arabesque went to the battlegrounds. A few weeks later, Thranduil fought a huge warg and was wounded quite badly upon killing it. His leg bled from the large bite wounds, a few chunks of his flesh residing within the beast's stomach. He was quickly taken to the tents and his wife immediately ran to his side. "Meleth! What have they done to you?" The Elvenqueen asked, quickly assessing his wounds so she could tend to him.

"A warg bit me, but I killed him. It's barely more than a scratch. If you will just patch me up I will be fine." He now noticed he bore scratch wounds on his left arm. Needless to say, he was rather torn and bloody, hence his wife's response.

"Humph! I shall do no such thing! You will stay in this tent overnight at the very least. I know we are short-handed, but they can live without you for one night."

King Thranduil passed out as she said this (a consequence of his fall into the Enchanted River centuries ago), so the queen located some athelas, or kingsfoil, to put on his wounds. He was extremely hearty and the plant would help him recover quickly. Needless to say, he spent the night in the tent, Arabesque at his side most of that time, constantly checking and rechecking to make sure he would have no lasting effects from his injury.

The next morning, Thranduil awoke. "Must get to battlefield!" he cried.

His wife had fallen asleep but jumped up with his exclamation. "You are awake!" she cried, for the second time in her life. However, this time she had every right to kiss him and did just that, clinging to her husband like she would never let go.

"Meleth, I simply must get back on the battlefield. Our elves need my leadership."

"I know," she sighed. "Just let me check your wounds again." She unwrapped the bandages and while his injuries did not look that great she could tell they were healing. With a tender hand she put more strips of cloth on his leg and arm. "Be careful, my Meleth," she breathed as she threw her arms around him. Nuzzling her nose he pressed his lips to hers, for once being able to forget the horror of battle that still raged within his soul. Her exotic flavor energized him and he knew he would be refreshed enough to participate in this horrible war yet again, desperately hoping it would be over soon, for everyone's sake.

"I will be fine, sweet Arabesque. You must also take care." With that he was off once more, leaving an empty spot in the Elvenqueen's arms.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: "Victory! We have Victory!"**

_(Yes, my faithful readers, I had the scene in the Two Towers Movie where King Théoden and his companions finally triumph over the orcs in mind as I was thinking up a title for this chapter. Also, I've tried to minimize the descriptions here because if you've read/watched LotR you already know what happened!)_

Five more years passed and the war still raged on. Thranduil and Arabesque remained together, growing closer to each other; most days felt as though it could be their last, so that is how they learned to live. They only wished they had thought of this method years ago! Elves, as immortal beings, seldom think about death unless a war is raging. Living each day as though it is one's last was a new kind of concept for them. They had to think about it in this manner: if one of them were to die, they wanted the other to have happy memories and to not have regrets about what was said or done. Yes, the king and queen still had minor spats as everyone does from time to time, but they always made up to each other before Thranduil returned to the battlefield, his sweet kisses warming Arabesque to her very innermost being.

However, the war was about to be officially over. Isildur, along with his family and people, were some of the men who fought bravely beside the elves. The dark lord Sauron was leading his evil armies when Elendil, Isildur's father, took him head on. The evil opponent killed him, so Isildur stepped up to avenge his father's death. He cut off Sauron's hand, the one bearing the Ring of Power, thus overthrowing the evil warlord and granting elves and men victory! However, he took the Ring for himself, but this is another story.

King Thranduil, Queen Arabesque, and their surviving soldiers returned to Mirkwood, happy but also exhausted from years of war. The elves left behind in the palace cared for it well and seemed to be thriving. Finally, the royal couple was able to have some alone time in their room. Tango, the elf-cat, meowed happily as soon as they opened the door and immediately curled up in Thranduil's lap when he sat down on the bed.

"I had reserved that spot for you, Ararbesque!" he laughed. "Poor Tango must have missed us. I missed you too, kitty." He scratched the orange feline behind the ears, rewarded by loud purring. His wife settled beside him and stroked their pet.

"I have had you to myself for several years, so I think our little boy can have you for a few hours, even though I was looking forward to sitting in that spot!" She kissed her husband, grateful to be back home.

They cuddled and bonded for a few hours, then Tango had enough and simply curled up on the bed and slept. The king and queen decided to do likewise. It was different to sleep together now, in a good sort of way. They usually had to sleep separately because there were not enough tents for them to have one all to themselves, and they willingly gave up this privilege because it seemed a petty thing to selfishly take up an entire canopy for themselves when a war was raging in the background. Now they could finally get back to their old routine.

Several millenniums after the Last Alliance of Elves and Men dissolved, Thranduil and Arabesque finally felt free to think about children.

On a lovely summer day, the Elvenqueen asked the Elvenking to go with her to the place where they were wed; she had something important to tell him.

"Meleth, the first time we came here you asked me to sit right here. Now I ask you to sit while I tell you my news," she began, and Thranduil willingly complied. "Now that our world has been fairly peaceful we have been discussing a very important subject lately. I am so happy to tell you that you are a father!"

"What?"

"Yes, I am expecting!"

"Arabesque!" the Elvenking tenderly crooned, gathering his wife in his arms. "Come now, you should not have walked out all this way! I will have to carry you back!"

She playfully punched his arm. "I am perfectly well and can walk on my own, although I won't object if you really want to carry me. Only please let me down before we get within sight of the palace. I do not wish to alarm anyone."

"I suppose you are right, as usual!" he winked, then pressed his lips to hers as they closed their eyes, relishing in their embrace.

They stayed and caressed a few more minutes, then Thranduil carried his beloved back home, both bubbling over with joy.

Such a joyous occasion meant a huge party. They planned it for the next week so all the preparations could get underway as soon as possible. The couple looked forward to announcing the coming of their first child and knew their loyal subjects would be thrilled.

A week later, the festivities were in full swing. The musicians constantly plucked their harps and blew into their woodwinds as other elves danced and twirled about with each other. Tables heavenly laden with all manner of scrumptious delicacies constantly bore many hands taking away from the smorgasbord. Arabesque noticed the other elves on the dance floor and looked expectantly at her husband. "Will you dance with me, Meleth?"

"My Meleth, are you sure it will be alright for you?"

"Thranduil, I'm fine! Exercise is good for me at this stage! I promise I'll let you know the instance I get tired."

"Alright, as long as you let me know!" he scowled as he took her hand and began to sway with her. They danced together most of the night with a few breaks in between dances. By that time the queen was quite tired and rested in her room the better half of the morning.

"Meleth, you wore yourself out last night! I should not have allowed you to dance so much!" The king was concerned about his wife, having no experience in such matters.

"Nonsense!" she replied. "I feel fine. I was simply a bit tired after all that dancing. After all, I am not that young anymore. I am sure that would have worn me out in my younger days as well."

"As long as you feel fine, I shall try not to worry!"

"I know!"

They kissed and embraced, then stayed in their room a while longer.


	8. Chapter 8

_(This is the part of my story that was influenced by the drawings on Pinterest.)_

And "_ion_" means "son" in Sindarin elvish.

**Chapter 8: A New Prince**

About year later, a son was born, whom they named Legolas. It was evident he would share the beautiful golden locks of his parents before he was a year old.

The Elvenking loved to hold his child; he would walk around with him as he drifted off to sleep. This action allowed for the Elvenqueen to get much-needed rest and also provided bonding time between father and son. Soon Legolas became a daddy's boy. Now, he loved his mother as well and became close to her, yet there was something a bit more between the two males. Thranduil experienced many happy memories of his own father as he helped the young prince learn the ways of the elves. The pain of the past eased a bit as he focused his attention on his son, although he still experienced horrible flahsbacks and nightmares from time to time. Arabesque enjoyed seeing her two favourite men make their own remembrances together, knowing it helped her husband's torn spirit heal. As Legolas grew older, the sweet nature of his mother appeared in his actions, although he could be a bit mischievous at times as well as react in deep anger. He brought even more joy into the happy couple's lives just by being himself, even when he was naughty.

The King of the Woodland realm occasionally underwent reoccurrences of his fall into the Enchanted River and consequently was caught catnapping, albeit quite rarely. Many times Legolas would be curled in his lap, also dreaming. The queen looked on in love, always enthralled at the sight of her handsome, sleeping husband and son. Thranduil enjoyed reading to his young son, and the prince loved it. If one of the royal couple was unsure of their child's whereabouts, it soon became likely that Legolas was in the other's lap listening to a story, and a nap would follow much of the time. Legolas found his Ada's interpretations more exciting than that of his Naneth, yet he could hardly wait to spend time with either of them. During such times, an elf-cat usually slept nearby or even in the young prince's lap; he shared his parents' love for these creatures and was granted one of his own when he became old enough to be responsible for a pet.

When the young prince was about seven years old he was pronounced old enough and responsible enough to get a pet cat. He chose a black and white male kitten, whom he named Erugalathon. They loved each other and played together, just like Thranduil did with his beloved Ochadrion long ago. It brought back happy memories to the Elvenking and Elvenqueen. In fact, he still had some of the mice his mother Bannostadeth made for his cat, and he gave all but one to Legolas.

"My dear son, your grandmother Bannostadeth made these for my first cat long ago. They are very special to me, but now I want you to take these; your Erugalathon will likely enjoy them."

"Thank you, Ada! Are you sure you want my cat to play with them?"

Thranduil smiled at his son's thoughtfulness. "Yes, your grandmother would like that."

"Alright! Thank you! Will you show me how to play with them?"

"Yes! You have to wait until your pet is in the right mood, for beginners. I noticed they will usually get a bit of a wild look in their eyes and their tails will start twitching when they are ready to play. Then, you simply throw the mouse, and the cat will chase it if he wants to play. Let him have it for a minute, then carefully take it from him and throw it again."

Luckily for them, Erugalathon chose that moment to become playful, and the elf ruler demonstrated to his son how to play. This cat, however, was not one to fetch the mouse so they would have to physically go and take the mouse from his paws. Soon father and son laughed and played on the floor, looking a bit undignified but having a wonderful time. Arabesque heard the noise and checked on them, then she joined in the rendezvous as well! This was only one of many such times, which all three family members relished. It became even more fun when some of the other cats joined in to play; sometimes there were three or four, all chasing after the same mouse. Legolas liked to playfully chase the cats around like he was one of them, and they seemed to like it. Sometimes this would cause almost a minor earthquake throughout the palace, so the king and queen made sure this type of play was confined only to the prince's rooms, where there were no easily breakable items.

The royal family did not grow anymore; one child and several elf-cats were enough. Besides, having about five cats at any given time can be a chore and a blessing in and of itself, without adding a child to the mix as well. However, they were a happy family.

A young maid about Legolas's age became his companion, even though she was just a common elf. Thranduil and Arabesque tolerated this friendship because they recalled how they had met: the queen too had been a lowly elf. Besides, their son had no siblings and needed friends.*

As a family, many times the three of them would go down to the little waterfall of the Forest River, sometimes with a cat or two tagging along.. There they liked to wade in the water and in the spring and summer would make circlets of flowers for each other. Many happy memories were made in this spot. In fact, they went there so often that Thranduil had a special stone bench erected. It added a nice touch to the already lovely location.

The whole kingdom loved the little prince and he had no choice but to be spoiled. Yet his parents would not tolerate him being a complete brat and set just enough limits that he was able to learn responsibility as he grew. He was loyal to both of them and did them proud at all the events he attended, almost always on his best behaviour. Mischief came about from time to time, however, as with any boy.

One day, Legolas snuck into the kitchens and replaced a long sausage link with a live snake – non-venomous, of course. The cook was not happy about that and he was punished as soon as his parents found out. He still made trouble from time to time, but it was always in good-natured fun.

Quite regularly, Thranduil and Arabesque would sneak out for a starlit walk. Once they caught Legolas trailing after them.

"Ada, Naneth, why are you sneaking out of the palace?" he inquired innocently, a very young boy at the time.

The adoring couple shared a look only they could decipher. Then the Elvenking answered, "Your Naneth and I are trying to get some time to ourselves so we can remember how much we love each other. Now why don't you go back to your room, or find one of your friends and play for a bit?"

"Aw, but I want to watch you!"

His parents laughed, and the prince joined in, although he was clueless as to what was going on. Then the Elvenqueen whispered in her husband's ear, and he grinned.

"Legolas, my son, how about we give you a sample of what will be going on tonight?"

He jumped up and down with joy. "Yes, do it, Ada!"

So Thranduil embraced his wife and they kissed quite passionately.

However, their child was not thrilled. "Yuck! Is that really what you two do out here?"

"It sure is, _ion_. Now don't you want to go back home?" his mother gently nudged him towards the castle, and this time he gladly went.

The elf ruler turned to his beloved. "Now where were we, Meleth?"

"Hhmm, I think we were to the point where you sneak your arms around me, like this." She grabbed his arms and pulled them around her. "Then we were about to do this." Here she kissed him again. "And now it is time for you to carry me!" The Elvenking obliged, always happy to have his wife in his arms. Sometimes they would dance together to their own humming and he'd dip her, then kiss her, and scoop her up in his arms to whisk her away for some bonding time, which always consisted of more kisses. The happy monarchs also enjoyed simply snuggling under the stars, either in each other's arms or laying on the soft, moss-covered woodland floor to stargaze through all the leaves of the trees. Sometimes elves are not as touchy-feely as humans and therefore do not even hug one another often, but Thranduil had watched his parents embrace frequently as a child and he knew that helped their marriage to thrive. He had determined long ago that he would not withhold anything from his wife, and Arabesque was grateful for his vow. They did try to avoid such things in public, unless it was at a large feast or other such gathering. Even though Legolas considered displays of affection disgusting, the elf rulers wanted their son to see their love for each other, not just hear about it.

After the starlit walk, the loving couple would return home a few hours later and sneak back into their room to sleep a bit. Sometimes the Elvenking would fall asleep before the Elvenqueen, and she often simply watched him doze; she had been fascinated with him ever since she first cared for him when he was under the spell of the Enchanted River. However, she now had every right to watch him slumber and could unashamedly do this. What she did not realize is her husband would often do the same to her when she fell asleep before he did! What a lovely picture she made, her pale skin and hair outlined by the dark coverings on their bed. Sometimes a stray strand of hair would pop out of her braid and caress her face, so he liked to gently put it back; how he loved his wife! The wait was certainly worth every minute. He knew he had married his true love and he would continue to cherish her all her days, just as he knew she would him. The handsome sleeper felt sure he would have his happily ever after with her.

*Yes my readers, the common elf who befriended Legolas could be Tauriel from the Hobbit movies, but I will leave that to your imaginations!

**Author's note: I hope you enjoyed this story! That is all I have for now but I might add more eventually to explain why the Elvenqueen isn't present in the Hobbit book, so I will refrain from putting it as "complete". As always, I appreciate your feedback!**


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